ILM Restructures Production Departments
In an ongoing effort to reduce costs, Jim Morris, President of Lucas Digital Ltd., has announced a restructuring of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Key changes have been made to the leadership team in a move to streamline management. To this end, Chrissie England, a twenty-four year veteran of ILM, has been named senior vice president of production. England was most recently vice president of feature production, a post she held for the last two years. Reporting directly to Morris, England will oversee all aspects of ILM's feature effects work. England, who joined ILM during its formative years, was visual effects executive producer of STAR WARS: EPISODE I "THE PHANTOM MENACE." Moving into newly created roles as executives in charge of production are Mark Miller and Gail Currey, who will report to England. Miller and Currey are responsible for overseeing all of ILM's feature productions. Major projects in production include HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, GANGS OF NEW YORK, DREAMCATCHER, THE HULK, TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES, TIMELINE, HIDALGO, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, VAN HELSING and PETER PAN. Also promoted and reporting to England are Colum Slevin, director of computer graphics, and John Ellis, director of production operations. Still reporting to England is Jeff Mann, vice president of creative operations. Cliff Plumer, ILM's chief technology officer, will also now report to England. Continuing in her current role overseeing ILM's digital feature productions is Patricia Blau, also senior vice president of production. Blau reports directly to Jim Morris.